Sunday, Jun 4, 2023
English News
  • Hyderabad
  • Telangana
  • Andhra Pradesh
  • India
  • World
  • Entertainment
  • Science and Tech
  • Sport
  • Business
  • ...
    • NRI
    • View Point
    • cartoon
    • Columns
    • Reviews
    • Education Today
    • Property
    • Videos
    • Lifestyle
    • Rewind
E-Paper
  • NRI
  • View Point
  • cartoon
  • Columns
  • Reviews
  • Education Today
  • Property
  • Videos
  • Lifestyle
  • Rewind
Home | World | Ugandas Schools Reopen Ending Worlds Longest Lockdown

Uganda’s schools reopen, ending world’s longest lockdown

Kampala: Uganda’s schools reopened to students on Monday, ending the world’s longest school disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The reopening caused traffic congestion in some areas of the capital, Kampala, and students can be seen carrying their mattresses in the streets, a back-to-boarding school phenomenon not witnessed here for nearly two years. Uganda’s schools […]

By AP
Updated On - 08:03 PM, Mon - 10 January 22
Uganda’s schools reopen, ending world’s longest lockdown
Representational Image
whatsapp facebook twitter telegram

Kampala: Uganda’s schools reopened to students on Monday, ending the world’s longest school disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The reopening caused traffic congestion in some areas of the capital, Kampala, and students can be seen carrying their mattresses in the streets, a back-to-boarding school phenomenon not witnessed here for nearly two years.

Uganda’s schools have been fully or partially shut for more than 83 weeks, the world’s longest disruption, according to figures from the UN cultural agency. The shutdown affected more than 10 million learners.

The East African country of 44 million people first shut down its schools in March 2020, shortly after the first coronavirus case was confirmed on the African continent. Some classes were reopened to students in February 2021, but a total lockdown was imposed again in June as the country faced its first major surge.

For many parents, the reopening was long overdue.

“Inevitably, we have to open up schools,” said Felix Okot, the father of a 6-year-old kindergartner. “The future of our kids, the future of our nation, is at stake.” The country’s schools cannot “wait forever” for the pandemic’s end, he warned.

The protracted school lockdown proved controversial in a country where measures aimed at stemming the spread of the virus were ignored by many. Vaccine scepticism, even among health workers, remains a problem, with growing reports of fake COVID-19 vaccination cards sold in downtown Kampala.

Many students returning to school are believed to have had no help during the lockdown. Most public schools, which serve the vast majority of children in Uganda, were unable to offer virtual schooling. The Associated Press reported in November on students in a remote Ugandan town where weeds grew in classrooms and some students worked in a swamp as gold miners.

Some critics pointed out that the government of President Yoweri Museveni — an authoritarian who has held power for 36 years and whose wife is the education minister — did little to support home-based learning. Museveni justified the lockdown by insisting that infected students were a danger to their parents and others.

“There are many things which can’t be predicted right now. The turnout of students is unpredictable, the turnout of teachers is unpredictable,” said Fagil Mandy, a former government inspector of schools now working as an independent consultant. “I am more worried that many children will not return to school for various reasons, including school fees.” Mandy also noted concern that a virus outbreak “will spread very fast” in crowded schools, urging close monitoring by school administrators.

Welcoming the reopening of Uganda’s schools, Save the Children warned that “lost learning may lead to high dropout rates in the coming weeks without urgent action,” including what it described as catch-up clubs.

The aid group warned in a statement Monday of a wave of dropouts “as returning students who have fallen behind in their learning fear they have no chance of catching up”.

It remains to be seen how long Uganda’s schools will remain open, with an alarming rise in virus cases in recent days. In the past week health authorities have been reporting a daily positivity rate in excess of 10%, up from virtually zero in December. Museveni has warned of a possible new lockdown if intensive care units reach 50% occupancy.

Hoping for a smooth return to school, authorities waived any COVID test requirements for students. An abridged curriculum also has been approved under an arrangement to automatically promote all students to the next class.

Uganda has received foreign support toward the reopening of schools.

The UN children’s agency and the governments of the UK and Ireland announced financial support focusing on virus surveillance and the mental health of students and teachers in 40,000 schools. They said their support was key for Uganda’s school system to remain open.


Now you can get handpicked stories from Telangana Today on Telegram everyday. Click the link to subscribe.

Click to follow Telangana Today Facebook page and Twitter .


  • Follow Us :
  • Tags
  • COVID-19 pandemic
  • Uganda
  • world's longest lockdown

Related News

  • Hyderabad’s Shanvitha pair clinches ITF U-18 tennis tournament

    Hyderabad’s Shanvitha pair clinches ITF U-18 tennis tournament

  • Gird up for next pandemic which could be ‘even deadlier’: WHO warns countries

    Gird up for next pandemic which could be ‘even deadlier’: WHO warns countries

  • India reports 656 fresh Covid-19 cases in last 24 hours

    India reports 656 fresh Covid-19 cases in last 24 hours

  • Indian national allegedly shot dead by cop in Uganda: Report

    Indian national allegedly shot dead by cop in Uganda: Report

  • Indian diet, tea and turmeric lowered Covid severity, deaths: ICMR study

    Indian diet, tea and turmeric lowered Covid severity, deaths: ICMR study

  • Editorial: A friend in need

    Editorial: A friend in need

Latest News

  • Shahid only had ‘two spoons, one plate’ when Mira moved in with him

    9 mins ago
  • Sunny Leone enjoys blissful beach getaway in Maldives

    28 mins ago
  • Artifact to let AI rewrite headline of clickbait article

    34 mins ago
  • Central govt bans 14 drug combinations used to treat common illnesses

    42 mins ago
  • Chiranjeevi criticizes media for misquoting his health remarks, causing unnecessary confusion

    57 mins ago
  • Odisha train tragedy: Accident happened due to change in electronic interlocking: Railway Minister

    1 hour ago
  • Google’s chatbot AI Bard adds precise location support for more relevant responses

    1 hour ago
  • Balasore train accident was waiting to happen, indicates CAG report

    2 hours ago

company

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Contact Us

business

  • Subscribe

telangana today

  • Telangana
  • Hyderabad
  • Latest News
  • Entertainment
  • World
  • Andhra Pradesh
  • Science & Tech
  • Sport

follow us

© Copyrights 2022 TELANGANA PUBLICATIONS PVT. LTD. All rights reserved. Powered by Veegam